Time Is Running Out!

Bible Study Magazine’sintroductory price of $14.95 has been in effect since the first issue. But the sale price is going up to $19.95 on December 1!

There is less than two weeks left to take advantage of Bible Study Magazine’s introductory pricing! Not only can you still subscribe at the lower price, you can also stretch out your savings with 1-, 3-, or 5-year subscriptions. This means you can guarantee yourself the lowest price on Bible Study Magazine for the next 5 years!

Are you already a subscriber? Why not ensure that you receive it at the lowest price for years to come? You will be glad you did!

If you have spent any amount of time doing serious Bible study or research you have inevitably run into references to articles contained in theological journals. These journals are on the cutting edge of biblical scholarship, containing fresh research, insight into key theological topics, and exegesis of the Biblical text.

But too often when you want to take your studies further, you find that these journals are housed in some far-off Bible college or university. And if you wanted to order a subscription to a specific journal you’ll soon find that you may have to put off eating for a month–some of these journals can cost well over a hundred dollars for just four issues! But do not despair! With the Theological Journal Library, vol. 14 now on Pre-Pub, Logos has brought those distant libraries filled with theological journals right into the comfort of your own home.

The Need for Theological Journals

Where a Bible commentary may take up to 10 years or more to be published, journal articles tend to be published more quickly. Also, with commentaries there is often a set page limit that constrains the author to stick to the big picture while theological journals step in and go deeper into textual issues.

This freedom keeps theological journals on the cutting edge of scholarship. Often this scholarship is more specialized, focusing on issues of grammar, cultural background, or theology of a particular passage or passages of Scripture. Having access to theological journals in your Logos library is like bringing a research library into your personal place of study and allowing you to study the Bible in a more enriching manner.

Theological Journals in Logos 4

If you are a Logos user, then you know how incredible it is to have a software program that searches your entire library in a matter of seconds. In the same way you search the Bible for a particular word, phrase, or verse, you can also just as quickly search through your theological journals for any reference or verse. And when you click on a Scripture reference in your journal, Logos quickly navigates to that Bible verse. This speeds up your study and gives you more time to research—and who doesn’t want that?

Considering the amount of scholarship contained in theological journals and the speed and power of Logos 4, Theological Journal Library, vol. 14 is an invaluable addition to your library. And with the incredible Pre-Pub price of $49.95, now is the time to add it to your library and take your Bible study to an even deeper level. And while you’re at it, check out some of these other journals that Logos has to offer!

One reason I wanted to make the Apostolic Fathers Interlinear was because the writers of these documents used the Old Testament, New Testament, and even some portions of apocryphal/deuterocanonical books. These guys knew Scripture, and they used Scripture (and some related writings) in their writings.

Clement of Rome (First Clement is attributed to him, Second Clement is traditionally attributed to him though most today do not view Clement as its author) is exceptional in his use of the OT and NT. He uses large portions of Scripture to the point where they can even be useful for text-critical purposes. Did you know that 1Clem 18 is a quotation of Psalm 51, and that it largely reflects the text of the Septuagint as we have it today? And that there is a large chunk of Isaiah 53 in 1Clem 16? And that Clement also quotes from Proverbs and even Job? And that some portions sound like they’re coming straight from Hebrews (e.g. 1Clem 36) and that he probably has familiarity with some of Paul’s epistles—especially First Corinthians?

Further, there is a simply incredible prayer in 1Clem 59–61. You have to read it. Really. And trust me, it reads even better if you read it aloud!

And let’s not forget Second Clement (also known as “An Early Christian Homily”) which is essentially a sermon that uses portions of Isaiah 54 as its primary text. This is the earliest Christian sermon available outside of the New Testament, and you can read it. Really! And it is awesome from its very start.

This is all well and good, but why an interlinear and not a translation if I’m interested in folks really using this stuff? Well, I wanted to make something that folks who had some Greek and who find themselves using lexicons like BDAG could use to help them into the Greek text of this secondary material. Something people could search for Greek words and phrases, and see how they were used outside of the New Testament. Working on the Apostolic Fathers Interlinear was a lot of work, but it was also incredibly rewarding. I hope you’ll find it similarly helpful in your studies.

Here’s an extra bonus tip: If you’re interested in the Apostolic Fathers’ use of the New Testament, Logos has a neat book published in the early 1900′s called The New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers. This book lists possible quotations and allusions to the New Testament in most of the works of the Apostolic Fathers (Barnabas, Didache, I Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp, Hermas, and II Clement). It is very helpful for looking into possible use of the NT in the Apostolic Fathers.

At the age of 15, Herman Witsius began attending the University of Utrecht and at age 21, Witsius was ordained in the ministry. Soon after, Witsius served at several churches as the pastor and at several Universities as professor of divinity.

Included in the Herman Witsius Collection is his most popular work, The Economy of the Covenants between God and Man, a systematic exploration of Old Testament law, New Testament grace, the grace of God in both covenants, and how Christ fulfills each covenant. The Economy of the Covenants between God and Man is considered one of the core writings that helped develop covenant theology. Other important works in this collection include his 2-volume commentary on the Apostles’ Creed,Sacred Dissertations on the Lord’s Prayer, and other essays on a variety of topics.

Biblical scholar John Gill stated that Witsius was a “writer not only eminent for his great talents and particularly solid judgments, rich imagination, and elegance of composition, but for a deep, powerful, and evangelism spirituality, and savor of godliness.”

“Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.”—Proverbs 3:13-14

What does wisdom say about reading the Bible?

In Reading the Bible Wisely, Richard Briggs answers this question by providing an approach to biblical interpretation that takes both wisdom and the Scriptures seriously. You will explore the reasons why we read the Bible in the first place, methods of interpretation that consider its historical, literary, and theological dimensions, and what role the Bible should have in our lives as the people of God.

Reading the Bible Wisely also explores how Scripture and the transformed mind of the believer interact to illuminate the process of interpretation. With the Logos Bible Software edition, every scripture reference is linked to your preferred Bible translation, allowing you to put the interpretive principles into practice right away—without losing your place in either book!

Logos Talk’s Recommended Commentary Series highlights some favorite commentaries by Logos academics and the user community.

We Want to Hear from You!

Each week we will post a forum thread asking which commentaries, available from Logos, are your favorites for a specific book in the Bible. This is a great opportunity to let other Logos users know which commentaries you have found valuable in your studies.

Joshua Commentaries

We asked Hebrew Language Specialist Josh Westbury to give us his favorite commentaries on Joshua. Here are a few of his choices in no particular order:

Today’s post is from Morris Proctor, certified and authorized trainer for Logos Bible Software. Morris has trained thousands of Logos users at his two-day Camp Logos training seminars and provides many training materials.

Normally I try to address as many people as possible in my Monday blogs. Today, however, is an exception as I pass along a very specific Greek tip that I e-mailed a Logos user in response to his question:

I was wondering if there was a way to search for something like a Greek word within a parsed form of another Greek word. In particular, I wanted to search for the Greek word en, within four words, of the Greek letter omega with an iota subscript.

I’m happy to report here’s one way to do just that:

Click the Search icon

Select Bible as the search type (1)

Select from the drop down list a Greek text like Nestle Aland 27th Edition (2)

Typing g: alerts Logos that we’re going to type the transliteration of a Greek word which is why the program lists all of the Greek words matching the transliteration. WITHIN 4 words is the command for a proximity search which locates the two Greek terms when they occur within 4 words of each other in the same verse. To disregard the verse restriction and find the two Greek terms within 4 words of each other even if they’re in different verses, select Basic as the search type.

These types of power features that are a little off the beaten path are among the many subjects covered in Camp Logos 2 Live DVD training, which is still available to pre-order!

How has your study of the original languages enhanced your understanding of scripture? Leave a comment and let us know!

And remember, you can change your bid at any time. Raise it, lower it, or cancel it—you’re in control. So why not place a bid right now? Make sure you’re in on these incredible savings before they leave Community Pricing.

Regarding Luther

Many people know that Luther was a catalyst for the Protestant Reformation and how he nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church of Wittenberg. Here are some facts you might not know:

The Legend of Luther’s Conversion

There are many legends surrounding how Luther went from being a promising law student to a monk in 1502. The most popular story involves being caught in a terrible thunderstorm and how, after many close calls with lightning strikes, Luther vowed to become a monk in exchange for his life.

Another story has Luther falling on a dagger, severing an artery, and making his vow of conversion under the fear of death. There is even a story about how Luther was sent to a monastery after killing a fellow student in a duel.

We may never know the truth, but we do know that his decision to leave the practice of law and embrace religion was a drastic and swift change in direction.

The Pivotal Point in Luther’s Life

Luther did not consider the nailing of his theses to the Castle Church door the most critical event in his life. In his Table Talks, Luther points to the illumination he felt when understanding Romans 1:17: “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Luther often speaks of this—his “Tower Experience”—as his true moment of conversion.

Luther’s Actual Words at the Imperial Diet of Worms

Luther was invited to an Imperial Diet (general assembly of the Imperial Estates) in Worms, Germany. The intention was to encourage Luther to repent and recant of his heresies. Luther, refusing to recant, is often credited as saying, “Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise.”

Luther’s actual statement to the assembly was much more articulate:

“Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen.”

Purchase Luther’s Works today!

Luther is one of the most significant figures in Western history, and now you can add this massive 55-volume collection to your Logos resources. That’s more than 22,000 pages of exposition and commentary on Scripture, theological writings, and other materials readily accessible with your other resources—perfect for personal or academic study.

But don’t wait, this special introductory price ends on November 14, 2011. Order yours today!